Mischief
by A. Windsor
Summary: Yet another Pirate Children story. Set thirteen years postBDM, AU. A look into daily life for the children aboard Serenity. How do four children pass the time in the Black?
1. Part 1

Title: Mischief

Rating: PG. For mischief and a little cursin'. Shh, don't repeat that in front of Mei-Mei.

Characters: the whole crew, plus the Pirate Children and Alistair Caramia (the latter are mine, the rest are Joss's)

Pairings: Canon pairings. I generally lean towards M/I, but this one is not as shippery as Shadow or any of the others. This is more about the kids.

Summary: Yet another Pirate Children story. Set thirteen years post-BDM, AU. A look into daily life for the children aboard Serenity. How do four children pass the time in the Black?

Author's Note: I had two new PC stories started and was debating which to devote the most attention to. Since Miss Reynolds was feeling especially neglected, I've decided upon this one. I must say it is refreshing to write the Mei-Mei again. I'd missed her. It's low on the plot, more of a slice of life kind of thing. Many people have wondered about daily life aboard Serenity with the "Pirate Children", and this is it.

Lost? Read Brother, Shadow, Pirate Children, and Hell Raising. This slots in between Shadow and Pirate Children.

Also here are the new characters for those unfamiliar with the 'verse:

Killian Cobb "Kacey" Washburn, 13

Leila Lee "Lolly" Tam, 12

Abram Derrial "Bubba" Reynolds, 10.5

Serra Alleyne "Mei-Mei" Reynolds, 5.5

Alistair Caramia, their tutor, 25

Part 1

Though Zoe is now used to Mal as "daddy", there are still certain moments that give her pause, that make her shake her head and wonder how the hell this happened. Now is one of those.

_Serenity_'s crew is parked on Persephone and wandering the marketplace in Eavesdown. The three older children are with their tutor, heading off to pick up books for their next level of study. She can hear her son's voice through the crowd, joking with Leila Lee Tam and Abram Derrial Reynolds. Wash and Kaylee are off settling _Serenity_'s affairs, refueling and picking up spare parts. That's their routine. This time they've brought Jayne to do heavy lifting. The doc and his sister are buying supplies for the infirmary, particularly band-aids for a particularly rambunctious five-year-old.

Said five-year-old, Serra Alleyne Reynolds, is a part of the scene that has so stumped Zoe. Mal holds her high in his arms, effortlessly and naturally. She's a pretty little girl, all black curls and big brown eyes like her mama. She is pointing to something in the booth in front of them, a question wrinkling her small brow, shaking her head so the tiny gold hoops in her ears catch the sun. Mal laughs and picks up the object, something feathery and unrecognizable from where Zoe stands. He tickles her nose with it, and Zoe can hear her squeals over the din of the market. Zoe is struck by the picture they make: dark haired daughter, light haired father, comfortable and laughing.

Her somewhat namesake is not what she expected when Mal told her he was going to be a daddy again, this time to a little girl. Zoe thought any daughter of Inara's would be soft and gentle, the consummate little girl. Serra, however, heavily favors her father in personality, no matter what an external replica she is of her mother. Mal and Serra make each other laugh and frustrate the hell out of each other, depending on when you catch them. Sometimes they do both at the same time. And she's only five.

That Mal loves his children desperately, fiercely, isn't what surprises Zoe. They and their mama are the only things in the 'verse more important to him than _Serenity _and her crew. But Mal has always had the ability to love fiercely, even when he didn't think he could. No, what surprises Zoe is the ease he has with them, the way having Serra in his arms is as natural as holding his old pistol, the way he can somehow handle conversations with a son that often reminds them all of Simon without flying off the handle. Usually. The way he's grown enough to be able to make up after a fight with his wife. The way he's grown enough to actually have a wife.

Serra sticks her tongue out at her father then, attempting to touch her nose, before resting her head briefly, affectionately, on Mal's shoulder. Her head jumps up suddenly, face bright. Zoe sees Inara approaching the pair, the cause of the little girl's dazzling grin, which Mal echoes softly.

Zoe hadn't expected Mal and Inara to ever get it together enough to kiss each other, let alone get married and have two kids. She liked Inara; that wasn't the problem. It was just that telling a man what he wanted to hear was Inara's profession, so it was hard to tell whether her feelings for Mal were completely sincere, hard to trust that she wouldn't run back to her Training House the moment things got tough. When Wash rushed in to tell her about Inara's pregnancy and Mal's impromptu proposal, she was utterly speechless, then dropped a few choice words that Killian, on her hip at the time, repeated for a month. The mere fact that they are still together and as happy as married folk can be continues to surprise Zoe.

Serra is twisting in Mal's arms, whispering secrets in Inara's ear that make the mother smile, laugh, catch the daughter's ear to whisper in return. Zoe lets the trio play for a few minutes before approaching them. Little Serra beams at her as she approaches.

"Hi, Aunt Zo'!"

"Hello, Mei-Mei. Whatcha doing?"

"Playin'," Serra answers, grinning impishly like the little gypsy girl she is.

"Appears so. Not shoppin' for books with the older kids?"

"Nope."

Inara corrects gently, "No, what?"

"No, ma'am," Serra sings, "I'm too little. Bubba's getting my stuff. Oh no! Daddy, I forgot to tell him something!"

Sighing, Mal grabs the comm at his belt.

"Teach?" Mal speaks into the small box. "My son happen to be with you?"

"Wait," Ally's voice crackles back, full of sarcasm, "You mean, _I'm_ supposed to be watching the kids?"

Mal rolls his eyes. "I ain't payin' you to be a smart ass."

"You _are not_ paying me at all, Captain. I work for room and board."

"_Aiya_, are all you Core-born ladies such a pain in the _pi gu_?"

"Why don't you ask your wife?"

There's a grin on Mal's face, affection for the smart little teacher. "Put my son on, Ally."

"Abe, speak to your father before he fires me." There's a clatter as the radio is passed off.

"Daddy, you can't fire Ally just 'cause she's smarter than you."

Zoe and Inara laugh at this, while Mal looks put upon.

* * *

"Five plus five?"

"Ten."

"Seven plus three?"

"Ten."

"Six plus seven?"

"Um… I don't have fingers for that."

"Mei-Mei… Concentrate."

"Thirteen?"

"Good girl."

Ally turns her attention briefly to the older three, who are bent over pre-algebra workbooks. They all started out on different levels, but sometime over the past five years they settled at the same place, the product of Lolly and Abe both skipping ahead to where children Kacey's age tended to be. So she teaches the three of them as a mini-class, then has one-on-one time with Mei-Mei while they study.

"Any trouble over there?"

"I'm fine," Abe shrugs.

"Getting there," Lolly returns.

"I'd be good if there weren't so many gor…" Kacey catches himself. "Gosh-darn letters. I thought this was math."

Ally smiles reassuringly. Almost-thirteen-year-old Kacey gets very frustrated at times, and a little embarrassed, too, she thinks. He is not dumb, by any stretch of the imagination, and he's a hard worker with fierce dedication, but he is not as naturally gifted as his "cousins". They've talked about it, and Ally is sure to point out what he _is_ good at, and what he can do much easier than Lolly or Abe, to keep up his spirits.

Mei-Mei giggles. "Kacey almost said a bad word."

"You just keep your attention on those flashcards, _hermanita_."

"_¿Puedo ir al baño?_" the youngest one asks, setting the flashcards on the table.

"_Claro, _Mei-Mei."

Serra pushes away from the table and skips off to the restroom. Ally uses the time to check her schedule and make sure they're moving along at the proper clip. They are, as usual.

"So, what seems to be the problem, Kacey?" she asks, sitting down in the chair next to the oldest of her charges. He runs a frustrated hand over his short, tight curls and sighs.

"Nothin'… noth_ing _too particular, Ally. Just still wrapping my mind around the whole 'x' idea. Give me a few minutes and maybe I'll have some questions."

Ally nods and pats his arm before moving on to Lolly. "And you, Miss Tam? Any questions?"

"Is this right?" Lolly asks, tapping her answer with the eraser of her pencil.

"Hmm, check your second step."

Lolly's brow crinkles, and she plays with a lock of hair, which is turning darker now that she's entering puberty, away from the towhead she was as a younger child. "Oh! Missed a negative. Thanks, Al."

"You're welcome, kiddo," Ally smiles, tugging playfully on Lolly's ponytail.

"No problems," Abe says, before Ally can even ask. Her ten-year-old near-genius turns his workbook toward her, showing her that he's done.

"Showoff," Kacey grumbles,

Ally takes the work and begins to check it, Abe sliding his data-reader from the middle of the table and resuming his place in _Prince Caspian_.

Serra bounces back into the room, her daddy in tow, dragged along by her firm hold on his hand.

"Good morning, Captain," Ally greets him.

"Hey, Dad," Abe says, Lolly and Kacey also greeting Mal.

"I want you to see my worksheet," Serra says, pulling him to the table and fumbling in her work for the sheet on "M"s she completed before math. "It's an M. I'm practicing. Ally says your name starts with an M."

"That it does," Mal grins, crouching down to inspect her work. "What else starts with M?"

Serra thinks for a moment. "Oh! Mama."

"Yep. And?"

"Mei-Mei!"

"Good work. They're nice Ms." He kisses her head and stands up, addressing the whole table. "We'll be landin' on St. Albans in three days. Any of y'all ready for the snow?"

"Snow?!"

"Yep."

"Excellent. A rematch of the Great Snowball Fight of '26. Dress warmly, Abe," Kacey grins wickedly.

"I've never seen snow," Mei-Mei says.

Mal thinks on that for a second. "I guess that's right. Well, you're in for a treat, Mei-Mei."

"I'll teach you how to make a snowball, Mei-Mei," Abe offers. "It's not too hard."

"Okay! I wanna…"

"Want to."

"…Want to be on your team, Bubba."

"Naw, Mei-Mei…"

"No, Mei-Mei."

"…No, Mei-Mei, you're too little," Kacey objects, "You might get hurt."

"Daddy…"

"Kacey's got…" He holds a hand up to stave off Alistair's correction. "…a point, baby-mine. You're a mite small to be in on the big kids' war. But I'll have one with ya 'soon as I get back from the job, 'kay?"

Serra pouts, a skill she has long since perfected. "Okay, Daddy. Mama too?"

Mal chuckles, standing up. "You're gonna have to talk to her on that yourself. Study hard, you four."

* * *

"I'm bored."

"You're always bored," Lolly sighs, scrolling through her latest download of Mechanics' Weekly on her reader, belly down on a few pillows on Kacey and Abe's floor.

"Not true," Kacey argues.

"Kinda true," Abe counters from the lower bunk, his own reader out and scrolling through the final chapters of _Prince Caspian_. "At least you always claim you're bored."

"Defend me, Mei-Mei," Kacey calls down from the top bunk, tossing a ball against the ceiling.

"Hmm?" Serra asks, looking up from beside Lolly, where she's coloring contentedly, lost in her own world, sock-clad feet kicking the air idly.

"You're too little to be of any help," Kacey huffs, and Serra shrugs and returns to her coloring.

"We could, you know, do something," Abe offers, setting aside his book.

"Like what?" Lolly asks.

"Cut off the power to the cockpit screens. Watch Uncle Wash run around trying to fix it," Abe throws out, sitting up and hanging his legs over the side.

"That could work. Of course, Aunt River will have to be willing not to rat on us," Kacey admits, leaning down over the side of the bunk to look at Abe.

"She won't," Abe assures them. "She never does. Remember when we locked Dad and Jayne in Shuttle 2 for a whole day? She never told that we were going to do it, or even that we did it. She's on our side."

"You two still gotta convince me to be in on it if you're gonna do it successfully," Lolly reminds them.

"So? Are you in?" Kacey asks, blue eyes imploring.

Lolly sits up, cross-legged, brushing her hair behind her ears. "I won't do it for long; too much could go wrong."

Serra giggles. "That rhymes."

"Thanks, Mei-Mei," Abe sighs.

"Anyway, I can do it, but I'll need to be in the engine room for the whole time, without my mom."

"Well, it's easy enough to get there. Our parents still don't understand all the ducts," Kacey says.

"But we'll need a distraction, keep Mom occupied."

They all think on that for a moment, then turn their eyes to the youngest among them, still innocently working on her picture. She looks up, feeling their eyes on her. A wide grin breaks out on her face. "A distraction? I can do that."

* * *

TBC 


	2. Part 2

Title: Mischief

Rating: PG. For mischief and a little cursin'. Shh, don't repeat that in front of Mei-Mei.

Characters: the whole crew, plus the Pirate Children and Alistair Caramia (the latter are mine, the rest are Joss's)

Pairings: Canon pairings. I generally lean towards M/I, but this one is not as shippery as Shadow or any of the others. This is more about the kids.

Summary: Yet another Pirate Children story. Set thirteen years post-BDM, AU. A look into daily life for the children aboard Serenity. How do four children pass the time in the Black?

Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback! You're all amazing. This story is SO much fun to write. I think it's been my favorite (and the quickest) story yet. One note though. I'm open to any and all flames, as long as the flamer is brave enough to do so un-anonymously. Anonymous flames will be ignored.

Part 2

"_Aiya!_"

"Somethin' wrong, Husband?"

"I've got no monitors. They just… blitzed out." Wash pulls the intercom down to him. "Captain, we've got a situation on the bridge."

Mal's disgruntled voice crackles back over the comm. "What kind of situation?"

"One of the 'we're blind and still flying' variety."

A string of Mandarin curses follows, and then abruptly ends as the captain cuts the connection.

Wash is fiddling with switches and buttons, about to open up the console when Mal stomps onto the bridge calling for Kaylee.

"Why can't this boat stay together for more'n a week at a time? Kaylee!"

"Yeah, Cap'n?" the mechanic answers, climbing the steps to the bridge, Serra on her hip. Both are covered in streaks of paint in all shades of the rainbow. Zoe snickers a little at the pair.

"What the he…" He catches himself, remembering his very impressionable five-year-old, and continues, "Heck happened to you two?"

Serra grins, big brown eyes wide with innocence even as one of her black curls is practically dipped in purple paint. That innocence strikes Mal as funny, but he knows his littlest has the mischief of her three older companions combined.

"We had a finger-paintin' mishap," Kaylee shrugs. "But we made some real purty pictures, didn't we, Mei-Mei?"

"Yep, Daddy. You should come see 'em."

"In a minute, baby-mine."

"Yes, excellent idea. This is a rather thrilling conversation, but can we focus on the fizzled monitors, please? Before we collide with a comet."

"Calm down, Husband."

"Uncle Wash, what's a comet?"

"Not now, Mei-Mei. Uncle Wash and his dinosaurs will answer all of your astronomical questions after he can see again."

Serra shrugs. Kaylee sets the little girl on the ground to join Wash in his search for the problem. The little girl looks to her daddy, silently asking him to pick her up.

"Nuh-uh," Mal shakes his head, exercising much will-power. He's such a sucker for chocolate eyes and dark curls. "These clothes are newly washed. Your mama will kill me if I get 'em dirty so soon."

Zoe hides a smile at the pair's interaction, returning her attention to bickering pilot and mechanic.

"Wash, what'd you do?"

"Nothing!"

Kaylee sighs.

"Let me go check on somethin' in the engine room."

She gets to the bottom of the steps, and the monitors spring back to life.

"We have visual! Crisis over."

"Kaylee, get on down to the engine room and make sure everything's normal," Mal orders. Serra giggles beside him, but just skips over to her uncle when her father looks questioningly at her. Mal shakes his head at the silliness of his daughter.

Serra climbs into Wash's lap, heedless of her messy clothes, hands, and face.

"So, comets?"

Wash laughs, tugs on one of her curls lightly, and reaches for a stegosaurus to explain some of the basic facts about the Black.

"Everything okay, Daddy?" a voice asks behind him. Mal turns around to see Abe, Kacey, and Lolly, all looking a little sweaty, at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, everythin' seems to be under control, Bubba. What have you three been up to?"

"Just throwing a ball around down in the cargo hold," Kacey answers. "Ally told us we could do what we wanted until dinner, as long as we stayed out of the way. We actually managed to get Abe's nose out of book."

"Weren't you supposed to be watching Mei-Mei?"

"She wanted to paint with Mom," Lolly shrugs. "Mom said she could."

Mal studies them for a few minutes, then shakes his head. "All right. Dinner's in a few, so go wash up a little, _dong ma_? Don't need anyone stinkin' up the dinner table."

"But we let Jayne sit with us," Abe says, feigned innocence in his voice.

Kacey and Lolly snicker, and Mal laughs a little. He crosses to the pilot seat and plucks Serra out of Wash's lap. She squawks a little in objection. "Speakin' of gettin' clean, take this with you and wash it off."

He hands Serra off to Kacey, who lets her scramble onto his back. She pouts prettily at her father over Kacey's shoulder. Mal puts a kiss on the top of her head and then brushes past the quartet.

"Meanie."

"See you at dinner."

The children head towards their rooms, going into Lolly and Serra's room first (the captain's former quarters). Once the door pulls shut, they dissolve into laughter.

"Nice work, Mei-Mei. They didn't suspect us for a minute," Abe praises.

"It helped that we kept the comm lines open between the engine room and bridge. Then we knew when to get out," Kacey observes. "And good job, Lolly. Excellent sabotage. You didn't leave any clues, did ya?"

Lolly scoffs. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

Kacey nods, conceding the point.

A voice crackles in over their comm, a trace of amusement in the feigned admonishment.

"Incorrigible children."

"Thanks, Aunt River," Abe smiles. "See you at dinner."

The comm clicks off in response.

"All right, Mei-Mei," Lolly sighs. "Let's try and get this paint out of your hair."

* * *

"Did you see the pretty pictures Aunt Kaylee and I did, Mama?" Serra asks as Inara brushes out the little one's curls before bed. She's in one of Lolly's old nightgowns, a purple teddy bear gracing her chest.

"I did. Once they're dry, we'll have to hang one in here."

"Okay. But one goes to Aunt Kaylee, 'cause I promised."

Abe rolls his eyes behind his book, _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader._

Mal enters the shuttle, dropping onto the couch beside Abe. "Good readin', Bubba?"

Abe nods. He grimaces when Mal tousles his hair, but it's mostly feigned. "It's a fantasy. And a Christian allegory, too."

"Huh," Mal says, surprised as always about the level of intelligence that comes out of his son's mouth.

"It's the fifth in a series. You and I read the second one together, remember? _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe._ The lion is supposed to be Jesus."

"Right," Mal nods. He looks to Inara, who is braiding Serra's hair with much-practiced ease. She smirks at him over the top of their daughter's head. "Right, I remember my mama readin' those to me. As much as your mama would like to think otherwise, I have read several books."

"I've made no claims otherwise."

"Mama! Did Daddy tell you that we're goin' to St. Albans?"

"I'd heard something about that, Mei-Mei," Inara answers, twisting a band around the end of Serra's second braid and pushing her up with a kiss on the top her head. "Go get your books for tonight, please."

"Will you have a snowball fight with me and Daddy, Mama? Everyone says I'm too little to join in on the big kids' fight," Serra questions as she kneels by the bookcase next to the curtain covering the cockpit of the shuttle.

Inara laughs and sends an accusing look at Mal. He shrugs in return. "We'll see, Mei-Mei."

Serra grabs two worn picture books from the bookcase and crawls into her parents' big bed. "Comin', boys?"

Abe puts his book down and seats himself next to Serra in the middle of the bed, cross-legged. Serra scurries into his lap immediately, pressing the books into his hands.

"C'mon, Mama, Daddy."

* * *

Simon Tam closes the drawer with a tired sigh, stretching a kink out of his neck after an hour of inventory, taking into consideration the new batch of supplies from Persephone. He turns out all but one light in the infirmary and heads towards his bedroom, hoping to catch his wife and daughter. His room, though full of medical journals, twinkling lights, and spare parts, is unoccupied. His first instinct is, of course, to check the engine room.

He finds two pairs of coverall-clad legs poking out from under the engine, hears a muffled chattering barely over the hum of the engine.

He clears his throat. "Will you be sleeping anytime soon, Leila Lee?"

Lolly pushes herself out, a wide grin echoing her mother's, blue eyes just like his own bright with joy, grease across her nose and one cheek. "Hey, Dad. Mom and I were just making a few tweaks 'fore bed."

Kaylee rolls out as well. "Hey, sweetie. How was inventory?"

Lolly holds her hand out to her father, a silent question to help her up. Heedless of the grease staining her fingers, Simon helps his daughter to her feet. She bounces up effortlessly, full of her aunt's dancer's grace.

"Better get to bed. Mei-Mei doesn't let Uncle Mal or Aunt 'Nara leave until I'm there. She says she can't sleep alone."

Kaylee smiles at her daughter's concern for Serra, at the responsibility each of the older children on _Serenity_ take in her life. As much as they may complain about their youngest compatriot, the elder trio adores their Mei-Mei.

Lolly kisses each of her parents goodnight and skips off to bed. "Love you!"

* * *

After River relieves him on the bridge, Wash heads down to the dining area to grab a quick snack. The mess is quiet, but occupied. Ally's on one end of the table, reading and sipping tea, apparently oblivious to the card game in front of her. Jayne and Kacey are engaged in a game of tall card, Kacey already in pajama pants and a t-shirt.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

"After this round," Kacey answers without looking up. He's alternately studying his cards and Jayne's face, carefully selecting two cards from his hand and sliding them into the middle. Jayne is likewise studying his young competitor, slapping one card on the table.

Wash grabs a box of crackers, still good from their recent trip to Persephone, and sits down next to Ally.

"How long have they been at it?"

Ally glances at the silver watch on her wrist. "About an hour, maybe a little less."

"Who's winning?"

"Hard to say. They go back and forth. Don't worry; they're not really betting. The captain says no one under fifteen is allowed to gamble."

"How… progressive of him?"

Ally smiles over the top of her book. "I'm not sure anyone would accuse the captain of being progressive. I hear there was some excitement on the bridge this afternoon."

"Ha!" Jayne cries, pulling in the pot, which appears to be of some of the same crackers Wash is eating.

Wash looks skeptically to the gloating mercenary before returning his attention to Ally. "Just the screens going on the blink. This boat has some strange quirks."

"That's what I hear. Just warn me if we're going to fall out of the sky, okay?"

"We're in the Black," Wash teases, "We won't fall anywhere. Gravity, Miss Caramia! What are you teaching these children?"

Ally laughs. "My figure of speech stands corrected."

There's a light commotion outside of the dining area as the Reynolds family makes their way from the shuttle to the children's bunks. From the view Wash has of them, it seems as if little Serra has fallen asleep before making it to her bed, cheek resting on her father's shoulder.

"Don't drop her, Daddy," Abe teases as he opens up his bunk. He glances into the bunk, realizes Kacey isn't there, and heads into the dining area. "Kace, you coming to bed?"

Kacey pushes himself away from the table with a sigh. "Yeah, I'm comin', Abe. I'll get you next time, Jayne."

"In your dreams, lil' Cobb."

"I wish he wouldn't call him that," Wash says softly to Ally.

"You named him that," Ally reminds him, a twinkle in her green eyes.

"Correction, my wife named him that. You don't argue with warrior women, especially post-childbirth."

"Jayne _did_ save your life."

Wash brushes her off. "Technicality. It's his job."

Ally laughs. Kacey comes over and kisses both Wash's and Ally's cheeks goodnight.

"'Night, Ally!" Abe calls from the doorway before walking with Kacey to their bunk.

"I don't get a goodnight from either of 'em?" Jayne questions.

"They don't have crushes on you," Wash reminds him, standing to put the box of crackers back.

"Can't imagine why not, lovely mug you got there, Jayne," Mal says, entering the dining area with Inara.

"The kettle's still hot, Inara," Ally calls, nodding towards the kitchen.

Mal sits opposite Ally as Jayne collects the tall cards and shuffles them idly. The captain puts a hand to his ear, cupping as if straining to listen.

"Do you hear that?"

"What?" Inara asks indulgently, sitting down beside him with a cup of tea.

"Exactly. Nice, quiet boat. Can only mean one thing."

"You finally put the brats out the airlock?"

Everyone shoots Jayne a dirty look at that. He just shrugs and grins a little wickedly.

"Bedtime," Ally supplies with soft sigh and light grin. She stands and moves to clean out her teacup. "And I think I am going to join them. Good night, all."

Everyone says their goodnights, including Jayne with a "'Night, Miss Ally" and Zoe, who passes the teacher in the doorway, having come up from the engine room.

"Everything's locked down for the night, sir," Zoe says, sitting down next to her husband.

"Shiny," Mal grins, taking a deep breath and putting his hands behind his head. "Let's hope we don't get no disasters tonight."

"Don't jinx us!" Wash objects.

"Relax, Wash. We're goin' to poky ol' St. Albans," Jayne claps Wash's back roughly as he passes him to go to the crew quarters.

* * *

TBC 


	3. Part 3

Title: Mischief

Rating: PG. For mischief and a little cursin'. Shh, don't repeat that in front of Mei-Mei.

Characters: the whole crew, plus the Pirate Children and Alistair Caramia (the latter are mine, the rest are Joss's)

Pairings: Canon pairings. I generally lean towards M/I, but this one is not as shippery as Shadow or any of the others. This is more about the kids.

Summary: Yet another Pirate Children story. Set thirteen years post-BDM, AU. A look into daily life for the children aboard Serenity. How do four children pass the time in the Black?

Author's Note: The silliness has taken on a life of its own. (Though there is a moment of seriousness which explores River and Abe, as Kaynara has so often requested. ;))

Part 3

A squeal and then running footsteps on the catwalks, one set light, one a little heavier. The shuttle door slides open.

"Bubba!"

There's more giggling as Serra and Abram appear in the middle of the shuttle, Serra upside down in Abe's arms.

"Hi, Mama," Serra grins, her twin braids hanging below her head, the purple teddy-bear on her belly smiling upside down as well. "He caught me."

"Abe, please put your sister down before you drop her," Inara says with a light smile, seated at Mal's desk going over the books. She has yet to change out of her nightclothes either, but wears a long robe to keep off the slight chill of _Serenity_.

"Aw, Mama, you're no fun," Abe teases as he does as he's told. Both children move to kiss her. "Good morning. We came to get you for breakfast."

"Daddy sent us to get your lazy butt out of bed," Serra chimes in, obviously quoting. Then she giggles and sings mischievously: "But he didn't say butt."

Abe grins as well, running a hand through his unruly hair, lighter and less curly than his sister's.

The ship rocks suddenly, pitching the children onto the floor in a pile of bones.

"Ow! Bubba! That's my hand."

"Your knee's in my stomach, Mei-Mei."

"Sorry!"

"Are you two okay?" Inara asks, watching the pair disentangle from each other. She moves to hit the comm switch to check on everything. Before she can, however, Wash's voice crackles over the comm.

"Attention shiny passengers: we have a slight problem. Please report to the cargo bay immediately. With clothes on, preferably, Jayne."

"Huh?" Serra asks. "Mama, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Inara says, putting the barefoot girl on her hip with practiced ease. She ushers Abe onto the catwalk with her, seeing Jayne and Mal shoving their five crates of illegal cargo into the smuggling holds. She catches Zoe as the first mate brushes by.

"What's going on?"

Feeding off the heightened tension in the room, Serra holds tight to Inara's shoulder.

"Feds. Random checkpoint," Zoe says, sliding down the stairs to help stow the last of the cargo. Ally, Kacey, and Lolly come from the dining area, the two children still in their pajamas. Inara passes Serra off to Ally and hurries over to Mal.

"Everything locked up tight, darlin'? Got the legal books ready to parade for the purplebellies?"

"I'll get them. Do you have an excuse for our suddenly empty cargo bay?"

"I'm a poor cargo hauler, scraping by. No reason for the purplebellies to think otherwise."

"Are _you_ going to talk to your daughter about using that term?" she asks, brow raised, remembering an unfortunate incident on Harvest six months ago.

Mal sighs as Zoe and Jayne seal the compartment, looking to Inara and brushing his hands off.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll talk to her."

Inara nods and goes for the legal version of their trade records, hiding the authentic ones in their secret hole in the floor of the shuttle.

Meanwhile, Mal takes Serra from Ally, sitting on the step with her and giving her a quick but strong talking-to about the use of anti-Alliance slurs in the presence of armed soldiers.

Inara gets back to the cargo hold as Zoe opens the airlock door and five Alliance marines enter the bay, checking for weapons and threats. Sensing that it's clear, since the man apparently in charge is holding a very small child on his hip, the marines radio for their commanding officer to come aboard.

He looks like every other Alliance commander _Serenity_'s ever encountered; they seem to have a type. He surveys the motley, half-dressed group, which includes four children, and wrinkles his brow.

"Is this everyone, Captain?"

"Yes, it is. Seems you caught us right before breakfast, so I can't say we're at our most alert. May I ask what the nature of this mornin' visit is?"

"A random search, Captain. We're looking for smugglers about. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that now, would you, Captain Reynolds?"

"Hmm, smuggling. You know anythin' about smuggling on this boat, Mei-Mei?" Mal asks facetiously of the girl on his hip. He knows Inara disapproves of the little game he and Serra play with Alliance officers, but Serra's wide, innocent eyes tend to throw the purplebellies off.

Serra's brow wrinkles, seriously considering her answer. "Nope, Daddy."

"Well, then, there's your answer, Commander. If the Mei-Mei don't know anything about smuggling on this ship, there ain't any. She knows everything about this ship."

The commander smiles tightly. "Please don't play games with me, Captain. I know who you are. I know what you did."

"Do you now? Then you'll also know me and my crew here were given a full pardon for that, in an Alliance bid to calm the rising masses."

"Officially, yes," the commander agrees with a slight nod as one of the marines takes the papers from Inara. The officer glances over the papers discreetly. "I also know what your occupation before and after the Miranda incident consists of: petty theft, armed robbery, smuggling. All enough to get this lovely floating heap of…"

"Is that man bein' mean about _Serenity_, Daddy?" Serra asks in a stage-whisper, cutting off the purplebelly's expletive.

"No, darlin'. Just expressin' an opinion. Apparently we still got the right to free speech in this 'verse."

The commander narrows his eyes at the pair, trying to be unaffected by the infectious little grin Serra wears across her sweet face.

"Captain, I find it very hard to believe that you would not return to your old ways. Tell me, why is your cargo hold empty?"

"It's hard to make ends meet these days, Commander. 'Specially with all these mouths to feed. Now this little thing may look tiny, but she can eat 'bout as much as that beast of a man back there." Serra sticks her tongue out at her father. "And we strictly stick to legal endeavors these days. Can't get the children involved in somethin' criminal, now can we, Commander? Makes work a mite harder to find, though."

"And there's work on St. Albans waiting for you?"

"Yes, sir," Serra grins. "And snowballs."

One of the marines chuckles, earning a harsh look from the commander.

"What kind of work, Captain?"

"Not that it's any o' your concern, but reindeer meat."

"They kill reindeers?!" Serra exclaims, shock in her young voice.

"Aw, hey now, Commander. Look what you made me do. Now I'm gonna have to answer to the little one 'bout my cargo, and her Christmas is gonna be all ruined. Thank you very much."

"Mama! They kill reindeers!"

"Not right now, Mei-Mei," Inara says, a little of the tension draining away from her spine. The Alliance officer seems to be backing off, caught by the double-teamed charm of Mal and Serra.

"They kill 'em and cook 'em and eat 'em!" Kacey says wickedly, which makes Abe and Lolly break into laughter.

"Straighten up, you three," Ally says sternly, giving them what they call "the look". They're also getting glares from each of their mothers and quickly zip their lips.

"Daddy, you can't sell dead reindeers," Serra pouts.

"She does kinda have a point, Cap'n," Kaylee chimes in. "Who's gonna pull Santa's sled if we kill all the reindeer?"

"Santa's sled defies all laws of physics. Scientifically impossible," River adds.

"_Aiya!_ See, Commander?" Mal asks, "Now you're sowing mutiny on my boat and I don't appreciate that. I don't waltz onto your boat and turn your crew against you."

"Daddy, you can't waltz," Abe offers.

The children burst into laughter again, the adults barely withholding their own chuckles.

"_Bi zui._ I waltz fine. Ask your mother."

"Right," the commander says, noticing that he has lost control of the situation and not at all comfortable with that. He also knows that there is no visible reason to search the ship, aside from a snarky captain and his precocious children, and that the law does not have as firm a hold out here as it had two decades ago. "We will allow you to proceed then. Carry on, Captain."

Mal nods. "Much obliged, Commander."

Two marines file out before the officer, and as he turns with the final three, Serra calls:

"Bye! Thanks for coming!"

The officer gives her a fully disconcerted look before returning to his ship. Zoe closes the door behind him just in time for the cargo bay to erupt into laughter.

* * *

It's their little secret. Just the three of them. They keep it between them, speak of it to no one save, occasionally, each other.

Abram shares River's nightmares.

Has for about five years now.

The first time it happened, Abe woke up gasping and sobbing. Kacey panicked, flung himself from his bunk and scurried up the ladder for an adult. Aunt River met him at the door.

Now there is a system. Abe wakes up out of breath and Kacey immediately comms Aunt River's room before hopping from his bed to hold his "cousin" tight until River gets there. Kacey has never seen his aunt look so sad as when she slips down their ladder and lies beside them, her eyes wide and glassy with tears. Together, Kacey and River cradle Abe until his breathing evens and he falls back to sleep, the aunt murmuring a litany of trilingual apologies until his slumber is dreamless.

Sometimes, Kacey is angry once Abe sleeps, blues eyes flashing accusingly at their eldest conspirator.

"It's not fair," he whispers, young voice harsh and raw from withheld tears.

Because sometimes Abe needs his own big brother, since he spends so much of his energy playing one. He needs someone to look out for him, protect and comfort him.

But Aunt River doesn't do it on purpose, does everything she can to save him from them. Her subconscious has latched on to his empathy, knows the curves of his brain as well as her own, purges itself in REM sleep and projects the excess onto Abe when the dreams are particularly strong. A lesser mind would've been destroyed by them.

So River just stares at Kacey during the attacks, looking so very young and tearful, and says she's sorry, she doesn't want him to see.

And that's enough, because these quiet moments once Abe's asleep again are Kacey and River's bond, looking out from Brother because he won't or can't look out for himself. He keeps them together. He has seen so much in ten years, River always reflects sadly, and will see so much more.

This bond with all of the children translates into everyday life, not just the rare nights of Abe and River's nightmares. She's on their side, shares little secrets with them, collectively or in turn. This is just the biggest. They don't tell the captain, because he would be angry but helpless. They don't tell Inara because she would worry and fret, take his pain onto her heart. Abe and River don't think anyone else should have to carry this burden.

* * *

"You look tired, Bubba. Are you sleeping okay?" Inara asks gently, disturbing the soft silence of the shuttle. It's late Sunday morning on _Serenity_, just a day out from St. Albans. It's Ally's day off, and therefore the children have no lessons to be attending. Kacey and Lolly take this opportunity to sleep in, as usual. Serra yanks her father out of bed bright and early, off to Captain the ship. Inara still isn't sure what that entails, but leaves them to their Sunday ritual.

She and Abram have their own Sunday ritual, retreating the quiet shuttle after breakfast for undisturbed reading time. They even lock the door to keep their favorite "captains" from bursting in unannounced. Abe's on his stomach across the end of the bed, Inara propped against the pillows at the headboard. The son's hair is as unruly as ever and he hasn't even bothered to change out of his pajama pants and sweatshirt. Dark circles rim his brown eyes. He lets out a monstrous yawn before answering her with an innocent:

"Fine."

Inara raises an eyebrow. She can always tell when her children are lying to her, which is probably why they don't do it very often.

"Are you sure?"

"Just had a nightmare last night," Abe shrugs, rolling onto his back.

He's not lying to her this time, but he's not telling the whole truth. She lets it go for now.

There's a pounding on the door.

"Hey! Let us in!" the Mei-Mei cries, her voice muffled by the thick door.

"Yeah! Let us in!"

"No!" Abe calls back, flipping a page, playful grin on his face. "Go away!"

"We still have two hours left this morning," Inara informs the pair, their faces pressed against the round window humorously.

"But we're bored! We Captained all morning and did everything," Serra whines.

"I'm sure you can think of something," Inara calls. Both she and Abe blows kisses at the door.

"Meanies. C'mon, Daddy. Let's make our own fun," Serra harumphs, and their heads disappear from view, two sets of footsteps on the catwalk, one heavy, the other heavier than usual.

"They'll get over it," Inara assures Abe, who looks just a mite guilty. "With their attention spans?"

Abe laughs lightly. "Good point."

He stands and goes to the door, standing on tiptoes to see out of the window.

"They're already hauling the hoop down," he reports, collapsing back onto the bed.

"What did I say?"

Abe grins, reopening his book to the marked page. "I do like the peace and quiet."

* * *

TBC 


	4. Part 4

Title: Mischief

Rating: PG. For mischief and a little cursin'. Shh, don't repeat that in front of Mei-Mei.

Characters: the whole crew, plus the Pirate Children and Alistair Caramia (the latter are mine, the rest are Joss's)

Pairings: Canon pairings. I generally lean towards M/I, but this one is not as shippery as Shadow or any of the others. This is more about the kids.

Summary: Yet another Pirate Children story. Set thirteen years post-BDM, AU. A look into daily life for the children aboard Serenity. How do four children pass the time in the Black?

Author's Note: This is the end... Of this fic. There are many more to come. Thanks for joining me on the ride!

Part 4

"Brought you some tea, Al."

Ally looks up from the personal data player, and film feed nicked off the Cortex, pausing it to smile at the new arrival.

"Thanks, Kace," she says, sitting up on the common area couch outside the infirmary and accepting the cup from him.

"Lolly said you might like it," Kacey shrugs, his darker complexion hiding most of the blush that fills his cheeks and ears. "Also think she might've been trying to kick me outta the kitchen. She an' Aunt Kaylee were cooking something, I think."

"More giggling than cooking, I'm sure. How's your morning been?"

Kacey shrugs, scratching behind his ear a little, stifling a yawn.

"Just got up. It's hard to sleep through that," he gestures to the cargo bay and the raucous sound of Serra and Mal's game of hoopball, which has already pulled in Jayne, Zoe, and Wash.

"Are you going to join them?"

"After I wake up a little. Maybe see if I can get Abe outta the shuttle, even up the game."

The boys, though constant rivals and frequent squabblers, are closer than they want anyone to think, are brothers in a very real sense.

Ally glances at her watch. "I doubt you'll get him out of there for another hour yet."

"Right. Gotta have his nose in a book, 'less he be normal for once."

"Is everything okay with you and Abe, Kacey?" Ally asks, sensing more hostility than usual in his voice. Though the boys tease and rile each other like that in person, she's rarely heard them talk like that outside the other's presence. Though, she figures living in the cramped quarters of _Serenity_ would be enough to drive anyone to be sick of their roommate.

Kacey shrugs again. "Fine."

The typical teenage code word for "I don't wanna talk about it." She is still finding it hard to believe that Kacey is officially a "teenager".

"Alright," Ally concedes, watching as he nervously looks to the hoopball game. "You know, if you ever need to talk…"

Kacey nods. "Yeah, Ally, I know. I'm gonna go play, I think."

There's still a hint of blush in his ears as he retreats to the cargo area.

* * *

Simon laughs more. Smiles when his little girl grins at him, when his wife teases him about his Core-born ways, when he watches River teach Lolly ballet in the bay. Lets himself loose long enough to engage in a water war with the two most important women in his life, despite the waste and impropriety of it all.

River is number three now. She doesn't mind so much. She likes watching him this way, when Kaylee has turned on an upbeat tune and Lolly grabs her father by his precious surgeon's hands, making him spin with her around the kitchen table, both soaked to the bone. Those hands are used for so much more than surgery now. They clasp Kaylee's while curled on the couch, watching a movie from the Cortex. They wipe tears from Lolly's blue eyes when she's scared or frustrated or hurt, tickle her sides to make her smile dazzlingly again, so much like her mother. They rest affectionately on River's shoulders when he visits her on the bridge to talk about his day. They sew up crewmembers, yes, but also apply bandages to the boys after a scuffle, to the Mei-Mei when she skids on hands and knees in the cargo hold, despite every adult's warning to walk. They ease fears, give pleasure, and, of course, save lives.

"My turn," Kaylee announces from the galley, "Come stir this, Lolly."

Lolly pouts with a tease, passing her father off to her mother, watching them laugh as Simon struggles to keep up with Kaylee's quicker steps.

Lolly doesn't start when her Aunt River appears suddenly over her shoulder, is used to her aunt's natural stealth.

"We're making jell-o," the twelve-year-old announces, even though she knows her aunt already knows that. Lolly likes to vocalize these things, draw her aunt into verbal conversation, smile her Kaylee smile that makes everything right in the 'verse.

"Red," River observes, one eye on the swirling liquid of the stirring, the other on her brother and sister-in-law.

"Mom's favorite. Dad's, too. We gotta put it in the 'fridge unit, let it set."

River nods, taking the bowl from her niece and putting it in to congeal. Then she grabs Lolly's hand, moves to pull her over to join Kaylee and Simon. Lolly laughs and skips enthusiastically after her aunt, stealing her mom away, watching River and Simon pick it up. Kaylee spins her daughter, then dips her. Lolly returns the favor, almost dropping her mother.

Both dissolve into giggles.

* * *

_Splat!_

_Swoosh, smack. _

"I'm hit!"

"Mayday, mayday, we've got a combatant down. We need a medic!"

"Told you to dress warm, Abe!"

_Splat._

"Aw, c'mon, now. That's dirty, Ally. There're wounded on the field."

"Just protecting my man," Ally claims before climbing out from behind the snow wall that serves as her, Kaylee's, and Abram's base. Kacey, Lolly, and Wash duck back behind their own wall to make more ammo while Ally brings the "wounded" Abram behind their defenses.

They're all bundled in their warmest clothes, most of them not water-resistant, but having the time of their lives. Serra and Inara are playing out of the range of the snowball war, making snow angels and snowmen.

"The score stands at 15-15," Wash calls in his best announcer voice. "The first to twenty wins!"

"You're going down, Reynolds!"

"Not if I get you first, Washburn."

Lolly rolls her eyes at her boys' posturing. "Stop talking, start throwing!"

"Getting mouthy over there, Miss Tam."

"I get it from you, Mrs. Tam."

"Ooh, spunky."

Kaylee lobs a tightly packed snowball to the right of the wall, catching Lolly's shoulder.

"16-15!" Abe cries.

Kacey grabs his "cousin" and yanks her back behind cover, brushing off her shoulder.

"You okay?" he asks, catching her strange look.

"I just got pegged… By my mom."

Kacey chuckles and presses a snowball into her hand.

"We'll get her back. I say we go into a feint, troops. Draw all of their ammo, then go over the top and hit 'em while they're reloading."

"Alright, General," Wash mock-salutes. "What's our first…"

He's interrupted by a loud war-cry and the trio looks up to see the opposing team charging towards them at full speed, pelting them with a ceaseless volley (of nine snowballs) and cinching the victory.

Kacey, fallen general, sputters under the barrage of snow still sprinkling from his hat, disappointment in his blue eyes.

"But… that…"

Abe and his ladies are grinning wickedly, offering their hands in a sign of good sportsmanship. Wash laughs and takes Kaylee's hand.

"Now who's ballsy idea was that one?"

"Whose son do ya think he is? Ballsy plans that shouldn't work…" Kaylee teases, slinging an affectionate arm around Abe as Ally helps Lolly to her feet.

Abe offers assistance to his defeated counterpart, who takes his hand and pulls the younger boy into the snow bank with him. They play-wrestle like puppies, which is not at all uncommon for these two, until Abe, pinned under Kacey's greater weight, calls for mercy.

"Well, that was a rousing end to the Second Great Snowball Fight," Ally says as the boys separate and dust themselves off. "Abe, Kacey, why don't you go get the sleds?"

"Got it, Ally."

The boys take off at breakneck speed, Abe's mittened hand flying up to his red ski hat to keep it in place, Kacey's tied orange hat staying on without help. The combatants all recover from their war, joking and teasing, completely distracted.

Which is why they don't notice the two lovely ladies of the Reynolds family sneaking up behind them, hands full of snow, and are completely shocked when Inara and Serra hit each of them in the back with snowballs.

"Oh, you fight dirty," Kaylee squeals, grabbing little Serra and spinning her around, then tossing her, gently, into the snow wall.

Serra's belly shakes with her peals of laughter, nose and cheeks red from the cold, dark curls peeking out from under her violet hat and flaked with white snow. She pushes herself off of the wall and full speed into Aunt Kaylee's legs, knocking her to the ground. Kaylee laughs and tickles (as well as possible through several layers of clothing) the Mei-Mei until she cries uncle.

The tickling is brought to an end by two resounding war cries as Abe and Kacey get running starts and then throw themselves on their hand-made sleds, belly first on the cold snow. Their momentum takes them a few yards, though the sleds aren't the most maneuverable of crafts and they crash into the snow fortifications, laughing hysterically the whole time.

"Careful with those," Kaylee admonishes as the boys shake themselves out of the snow, big grins in place. "We worked hard on those. Can't break 'em 'fore we get started."

"Sorry, Aunt Kaylee," Kacey apologizes, subtly and playfully pushing Abe back into the snow. Abe grabs his ankle and yanks Kacey down with him. Serra lets out a yell and hops right into their puppy fight. Lolly, the peacemaker, moves to pull them apart and merely gets pulled in with them, the four children wrestling in the snow until finally they tire and roll off of each other.

"Race ya down the hill," Lolly grins at the boys, grabbing Serra's hand as if to claim her for her team.

"I get to go?!" Serra asks, eyes bright with delight.

"Sure, Mei-Mei," Abe says, after getting a nod of approval from his mother.

"But be careful," Inara instructs.

"We should even out the teams, though," Kacey claims. "Should be me and Mei-Mei. Heaviest and lightest vs. the middle."

"Sounds fair," Lolly shrugs, releasing Serra to Kacey's hand and grabbing Abe by the shoulder to set up their sled.

"We need a judge at the bottom of the hill," Abe says, "Only fair."

"We'll go," Kaylee volunteers, practically pushing Inara down the hill. The former Companion falters a little in the high snow, rights herself before she can fall.

"I'd rather not roll down the hill, Kaylee," Inara teases.

"You mean like this?"

With that, Kaylee gives a harder push and both women go tumbling down the fairly steep hill. Laughter overtakes the group at the snow-tousled women who wave from the bottom of the incline as Inara puts a handful of snow down Kaylee's collar.

Wash recovers from his laughter long enough to settle the two pairs onto their sleds, checking safety requirements and warning them both to hold on. He raises his hands and then drops them, shouting for them to go. Kacey and Lolly push off with their legs and the sleds zip down the hill.

The pilot turns to the tutor, a grin still firmly in place.

"The image of Inara rolling down a hill will remain with me for a _very_ long time." He shakes his head a little. "She's come a long way from when I met her."

"And yet, she still manages to make it look fairly graceful."

"Wish I'd had a capture."

They watch the race, which Kacey and Serra win by a hair, and then watch the children begin to trudge back up the hill.

"I'm glad Kacey and Abe are getting a lot of their competitiveness out of their system," Ally comments as the boys, sleds dragging behind them, conspire to hit the girls with snowballs.

"They have been at it a little more than usual recently."

"Happens to brothers," Ally shrugs, a sidelong glance at Wash. "I have cousins who used to get in fistfights over who got more milk with dinner. Or whose green beans portion was smaller. They're not so bad."

"Nah. They're not. It's nice, most of the time."

The children reach the top of the hill, Serra perched on Lolly's back.

"Your turns, Dad, Ally."

"Alright then," Wash says, taking one sled from Kacey. "Think you wanna race, Miss Ally?"

"I don't know. The weight's a little uneven."

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

Ally and the kids roll their eyes. "No, just that I need a rider."

"I'll go!" Kacey and Abe shout in unison.

* * *

The sky's growing dark. It will be time for lift off and dinner soon. But he's promised her one last ride to the bottom, so he sends one sled back with the group and fits her between his legs, her tiny body pressed against his chest.

He likes this, a lot. Coming back from a fairly smooth job (River kept things from getting out of hand), to a snow-covered family, pink noses and cheeks, three pairs of brown eyes bright with the exuberance of the day. To a crew laughing over snow angels, sled races, and a Jayne-shaped snowman, constructed by Kacey, Abe, and Lolly after lunch. A handful of pinecones represent grenades at his feet, and they've stolen one of his many woolen hats to place atop its head, traced tattoos into the snow. Jayne is stuck somewhere between gratitude and offense.

"We gotta go fast, Daddy."

"You're not scared, baby-mine?"

"Daddy…"

"Sorry, sorry. Captains don't get scared."

Let her believe that as long as she can.

"C'mon!"

"So bossy," Mal grumbles, pushing off with his legs.

She clings to him, squealing and laughing the whole way down. When they get down to the bottom, she's shivering, teeth chattering, but grinning wildly. Sometimes, her bravery scares the hell out of him, only because he knows what it may one day become.

"Cold, Mei-Mei?"

"No." She yawns widely.

"Right…" Mal says, giving her a look that says he definitely doesn't believe her. He unbuttons his jacket and picks her up. Her legs wrap around him on instinct, her face nuzzling into his warm chest. He re-buttons the jacket with her inside, one arm holding her up, the other dragging the sled behind. He eyes the long trudge up the hill warily, readjusting her in his arms. "You better be glad you're so small, daughter-mine."

She giggles, her breath warm on his neck. Night continues to fall, the temperature drops, but the lights of _Serenity _guide him on. Abe and Inara, warm and dry, ready for take off, wave from the ramp. Abe runs out when they're close enough to grab the sled. Not quite dressed for the cold, he sprints back and forth from the relative warmth of the ship. Mal laughs a little. He unbuttons his jacket on the bottom of the ramp, lets his squirming passenger run up to her mother.

"You're wet," Inara informs her, a teasing reproach in her voice.

Serra just takes off her hat and shakes her curls in response.

"Brat," Mal accuses, kissing his wife's cheek briefly in greeting. "Everybody aboard?"

"The cargo's locked up tight," Abe informs him, repeating his Aunt Zoe's earlier approval.

"I can't believe you killed the reindeers, Daddy."

"_Aiya_, Mei-Mei. We talked on this. They were dead when I got them!"

* * *

el fin (for now) 


End file.
